Dolores Ramsey

Madison - Dolores Ann (Wallestad) Urrutia Ramsey, age 89, passed away in Madison, Wisconsin, on March 29, 2018, at Agrace HospiceCare. She was born on April 22, 1928, in Madison, Wisconsin, the daughter of John Oscar Wallestad and Dorothy White Wallestad.

Dolores Ramsey graduated from Madison West High School in 1946. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Phi Beta Kappa, in 1951, with a BA degree in Spanish and English. She earned her Masters degree in Library Science at the UW, in 1970. Dolores had two careers, first as an export secretary for 18 years at Marshall Dairy Laboratory in Madison, and then twenty-two years as a reference librarian at the Wichita Public Library in Wichita, Kansas.

Dolores married Ernesto Urrutia in 1947, with whom she had a daughter, Linda, in 1949. In 1975, Dolores married Allan Ramsey of Wichita, KS, and worked and lived with him in Wichita until his untimely death in 2004. In 2005, Dolores returned to live in Madison, at Oakwood Village West for 13 years, until passing away three weeks before her 90th birthday, on March 29, 2018. Dolores had many diverse interests including, music, theater, current events, politics, sports, history, and literature. She loved knitting and weaving, and she was a voracious reader. She was particularly interested in mysteries and helped to found a chapter of Sisters in Crime in Wichita, KS. Dolores had a superior intellect and an extraordinary memory throughout her long life until her passing. In her final days and hours, she was singing songs from Broadway musicals with her family, and still actively engaged in discussions about current political and sports events. Her final words were to express her hopes, support, encouragement, and love for each of her family members with her as she passed. She died peacefully without pain surrounded by her loved ones at Agrace Hospice Care Center.

She is survived by her daughter, Linda Urrutia Scott-Halverson; two granddaughters, Sarah and Laura Scott; step granddaughter Sara Halverson; two sons-in-law, Jerome Halverson and Terry Scott; sister-in-law, Muriel Wallestad, three nieces, (Wallestad) Kristin Northway, Ingrid Hoerz and Erika Milosovich; two nephews, Tom and Scott Wallestad; step-brothers, Don, Gary and Tim Meyer; brothers-in-law, Gordon, Gilbert and Chris Ramsey and all of their families.

Dolores was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Dr. Philip Wallestad, sister-in-law, Edith Wallestad, two husbands, Ernesto Urrutia and Allan Ramsey, step-mother, Ethel Meyer Wallestad, and mother-in-law, Phyllis Ramsey.

A memorial service will be held at OAKWOOD VILLAGE, UNIVERSITY WOODS at Resurrection Chapel, 6201 Mineral Point Rd in Madison, on Saturday, May 19, 2018, at 3 p.m. The Rev. Barry Hoerz of Vermont Lutheran Church, her nephew-in-law, will preside.
There will be a reception at Oakwood in the Oaks Community Room, following the memorial service. Burial will take place later at Bayside Cemetery, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin.

Donations may be sent to the Oakwood Village Foundation, University Woods General Fund. Cards and memorials can be sent to Linda Scott-Halverson, 1362 Wellesley Ave., St. Paul, MN 55105.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Services
3610 Speedway Road
(608) 238-3434